'I can't get over my ex-flame!'

But once the marriage subject came up, he started making excuses to delay it. Eventually, the situation grew so bad that we had to call it quits. But I’m not able to concentrate on anything as every little thing reminds me of my ex. It’s like a tattoo I can’t remove. I thought of calling him today but I fought against myself as I don’t want to appear to be a weak fool. But in all honesty, I must be because I haven’t moved on yet. How should I deal with the breakup?— Tara

Illustration/ Amit Bandre

Dear Tara, It’s never easy when a relationship ends. It causes painful and unsettling feelings. But there are plenty of things you can do to move on. First, allow yourself to grieve. Second, take care of yourself. Do not go on an eating binge or OD on anything. A breakup is painful because it represents the loss, not just of the relationship, but also of shared dreams. Remember the faster you move on, the faster it will be for you to forget him. There is no point to be in the blame game. It’s obvious that your guy was not serious about you, or else he would not have dillydallied about the marriage. Remember he did not deserve your love. So why grieve for him?